This Is What 20 Years of Neglect Does to a Jaguar E-Type

Back in 1997, the Jaguar E-Type was already a desirable classic, but you could get one for a fraction of what these British sports cars cost nowadays. And with the first day of E-Type production kicking off in March 1961, this Series I Fixed Head Coupe is a rather early example, chassis number 282 to roll off the assembly line..

Bought new on April 4th, 1962 and specified with a manual gearbox, a dark opalescent blue exterior and a black interior, this Jag's first owner kept it for 35 years before selling it to an enthusiast in 1997. Sadly, the planned wrenching was put to a permanent halt when the second owner moved from the West Midlands to the north of England, leaving the E-Type in his brother's barn. The coupe sat there for two decades completely exposed, with the windshield and the windows missing. As a result, it looks like this as it goes under the hammer in hope of a better future:

Such a project is not for the faint hearted, but Classic Car Auctions expects it to fetch at least $47,000 nevertheless, given that it's a complete and mostly original early car, and E-Type prices have skyrocketed in recent years. With its red replacement hood, two coats of long-abused paint, missing radiator and additional layers of iron oxide and detritus, we wish its future owner the best of luck indeed.

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